[newpitowner]

Try to intimidate ( or was it eat?) the other dog that was barking but she REFUSED to go into the down position and ended up biting the trainer when he attempted to force her into a full out submissive position. Not badly (that I could tell) and he brushed it off when I asked him about it so here I am - looking like the psychotic dog woman - and now I'm CRYING which only makes me feel like more of an ass. Has anyone else had a dog act this way when pushed to do something they didn't want to (specifically a full out submissive postion I suppose, not something like 'sit')? Sam ended up pissing all over the guy as well as the floor however I do have to say when it was all said and done she sure was very quiet and submissive. I just feel so overwhelmed and like how do I know this is the 'right' thing to do (although I do not in anyway think the trainer was wrong - I'm just clueless about it all) and how to find a 'good' trainer - they were nice enough and I can go back to them but they are charging $45 got approx 4 1/2 hour sessions and they are about that far away - oh it's just all so confusing. Any thoughts?

Sarah

 

[PaulaEdwina]

Try to intimidate ( or was it eat?) the other dog that was barking but she REFUSED to go into the down position and ended up biting the trainer when he attempted to force her into a full out submissive position. Not badly (that I could tell) and he brushed it off when I asked him about it so here I am - looking like the psychotic dog woman - and now I'm CRYING which only makes me feel like more of an ass. Has anyone else had a dog act this way when pushed to do something they didn't want to (specifically a full out submissive postion I suppose, not something like 'sit')? Sam ended up pissing all over the guy as well as the floor however I do have to say when it was all said and done she sure was very quiet and submissive. I just feel so overwhelmed and like how do I know this is the 'right' thing to do (although I do not in anyway think the trainer was wrong - I'm just clueless about it all) and how to find a 'good' trainer - they were nice enough and I can go back to them but they are charging $45 got approx 4 1/2 hour sessions and they are about that far away - oh it's just all so confusing. Any thoughts?

Sarah

JMO the trainer was foolish to attempt to push your other dog (clearly stressed) into a down and deserved to get bitten. Alpha rolls and the like are usually a waste of time. If the dog was that wigged out that he wasn't listening he was overfaced and your trainer should have backed him off (further away from the other dog) until she got to place where the dog was able to listen. Your trainer just traumatized your dog(pissing all over the floor) for no apparent reason it sounds like. Training is not combat. There is no reason why they had to go old school on your dog like that. I mean, think about it in human terms; how receptive would you be to training and orders if you were hysterical (mad, sad or scared)?

JMO of course.
Paula

 

[newpitowner]

Well that's exactly why I'm upset. I feel so bombarded w/ all this different methodology! Be dominant but don't buy into the Alpha 'crap' (no offense intended I only attempt to describe how I'm feeling right now). Do this don't do that - it's enough to make a woman scream! What kinds of questions should I be asking when looking for a trainer, what things should be a big clue that maybe these aren't the trainer(s) for me. Oh to own a dog - when did it become so complicated? Thank you for your input - it will be used to attempt to make better choice's from now on...

Sarah

 

[PitBullRoyalty]

Never alpharoll a pit bull!
Even with submissive dogs you will likely get hurt.

 

[Kasco]

Never alpharoll a pit bull!
Even with submissive dogs you will likely get hurt.

Not if you know what you're doing. Unfortunately alot don't.

 

[PitBullRoyalty]

My friend Jason mann recommends never, and he's an APBT trainer.
www.PitBullLovers.com
He tried this once on his submissive girl, he says never again.

 

[maryellen]

go to a different trainer.. sit in on a class before you register, to make sure the trainer isnt a jerk like this one.

 

[angie7349]

Call your Vet and ask for an experienced trainer.....Talk to the trainer before hand and find out what all they have worked with, ask to see their finished product. I would be most interested in a trainer that works with dominate breeds and that had rehabilitated disobient dogs...I agree watch a class before you enroll.

 

[LegendsMami]

go to a different trainer.. sit in on a class before you register, to make sure the trainer isnt a jerk like this one.

I agree!......... I've done the alpha roll on my pitbull since he was a baby. But never if he was in a state where he's afraid, confused, or mad.

 

[msvette2u]

If my dog didn't bite the trainer for making it lay down like that, I'd have bitten them myself!!!! :shock:

 

[PaulaEdwina]

If my dog didn't bite the trainer for making it lay down like that, I'd have bitten them myself!!!! :shock:

Trainers like that blow my mind. I mean, the reason most of us go to trainers is that they are supposed to have skills we do not. The thing is we then give them all the credit for having those skills and trust them that they know what they're doing. So then some jerk jacks up your dog and you're thinking 'that can't be right, but he's a trainer so what do I know'? Which is a totally legitimate thought - I mean you don't question you're doctor generally right, or your mechanic, or the guy that fixes your plumbing, etc. So that kind of behavior is a real betrayal of trust IMO.

Here's what I recommend. While you're looking for another trainer (your vet's, your local shelter, etc are places you might find information about them), read a couple books and try to begin to understand dog behavior since this might help you figure out what the trainer's intentions and skills are the next time around. For instance;

+Anything by Turrid Rugaas (Calming Signals) - will help you read your dog's emotional status (stressed, happy, agressive, etc).
+Anything by the Monks of New Skete (The Art of Raising a Puppy). I don't agree with everything they do - but I can't say that I have for any trainer. One thing I like about them is that they show a real understanding of how dogs might approach training.
+Jean Donaldson (Culture Clash). I don't like her style of writing - I find it chaotic. But she is trying to remind us that our dogs are not small humans in dog costumes but an entirely different animal from us all together.
+Karen Pryor (Don't Shoot the Dog) one of the pioneers of clicker training. Whether you go clicker or not, like the Monks, she will help you begin to understand where your dog is coming from.

Yup homework! This will not make you a trainer, but it might help you pick a good trainer.

Paula

 

[nanniesrock]

I have another book recommendation, it is, IMO, the perfect book for a first time dog owner. ( I read it about 3 times before I brought Harley home & still refer to it) "Mother Knows Best" by Carol Lea Benjamin.

Also, after asking Peter C if maybe someday he could meet my dog, he declined, but did offer the name of a trainer close to me he would recommend. I would trust Peter C's advice on this implicitly. I asked my vet for a recommendation, but he said it's really not his thing. Honestly, many vets will tell you Purina's good food. HELLO!??! pm Peter, maybe he can give you a name. It never hurts to ask :wink:

 

[newpitowner]

Thanks guys, nanniesrock told me about the book 'mother know's best' awhile ago and I got so absorbed in everything else it left my brain. I'll go to the library tomorrow and see if they have it. I really appreciate everyone's thoughts...

Sarah

 

[nanniesrock]

Thanks guys, nanniesrock told me about the book 'mother know's best' awhile ago and I got so absorbed in everything else it left my brain. I'll go to the library tomorrow and see if they have it. I really appreciate everyone's thoughts...

Sarah

Sarah, I seriously doubt they'll have a copy, but they can search for you & borrow it from another library if they don't. You may have to wait awile, but there are no shipping charges. The book was recommended to me by a trainer, & I really wish at least one other person would read it.